Manager Value 2
Collaborative Partnerships with Kinship and Resource Families
Cutting edge training and supportive services for kinship and resource families
• Discuss training resources in supervisor meetings (e.g., Grossmont College Foster and Kinship Care Education Program)
• Support supervisors by advocating for training, providing time for them to attend it, coordinating coverage, and promoting transfer of learning by preparing and debriefing supervisors
• Advocate for training that includes applicable skills caregivers can use with children/youth
• Have full knowledge of new practices for workers in order to support their implementation
• Utilize learning circles to discuss concerns and strengths of new practices being trained
• Communicate staff feedback to Policy and Planning and Public Child Welfare Training Academy for training needs
• Support utilization of the Quality Parenting Initiative (QPI) partnership plan
• Inquire and elevate when there are gaps in supportive services and spread effective supportive services countywide
• Advocate for sufficient capacity of respite and other supportive services for caregivers
• Host events for/with kinship and respite families to share, learn, and develop relationships with resource families
• Ensure staff have time to attend events with kinship and resource families
• Ensure that childcare is available to support kinship and resource families
• Support supervisors by advocating for training, providing time for them to attend it, coordinating coverage, and promoting transfer of learning by preparing and debriefing supervisors
• Advocate for training that includes applicable skills caregivers can use with children/youth
• Have full knowledge of new practices for workers in order to support their implementation
• Utilize learning circles to discuss concerns and strengths of new practices being trained
• Communicate staff feedback to Policy and Planning and Public Child Welfare Training Academy for training needs
• Support utilization of the Quality Parenting Initiative (QPI) partnership plan
• Inquire and elevate when there are gaps in supportive services and spread effective supportive services countywide
• Advocate for sufficient capacity of respite and other supportive services for caregivers
• Host events for/with kinship and respite families to share, learn, and develop relationships with resource families
• Ensure staff have time to attend events with kinship and resource families
• Ensure that childcare is available to support kinship and resource families
Consistent communication and information sharing
• Highlight confidentiality guide and policies around communication in staff meetings
• Return calls within one business day
• Ensure there is enough staff to facilitate Family Centered Meetings (FCMs)
• Encourage staff to facilitate FCMs on their own cases
• Seek out the position of kinship and resource families when consulting on cases
• Assist workers and supervisors in thinking creatively when traditional solutions do not meet the needs of the case
• Return calls within one business day
• Ensure there is enough staff to facilitate Family Centered Meetings (FCMs)
• Encourage staff to facilitate FCMs on their own cases
• Seek out the position of kinship and resource families when consulting on cases
• Assist workers and supervisors in thinking creatively when traditional solutions do not meet the needs of the case
Seeking and creating opportunities for biological families and kinship and resource families to communicate and work together for a child/youth’s best interests.
• Be supportive and encourage FCMs
• Support icebreaker meetings and/or phone calls between caregivers and parents
• Facilitate discussions using the three questions to move through disagreements about the child’s/youth’s best interest
• Ensure efforts to maintain sibling and extended family contacts and visitation
• Be responsive to complaints and elevations from parents and caregivers
• Support icebreaker meetings and/or phone calls between caregivers and parents
• Facilitate discussions using the three questions to move through disagreements about the child’s/youth’s best interest
• Ensure efforts to maintain sibling and extended family contacts and visitation
• Be responsive to complaints and elevations from parents and caregivers
Being accountable and responsive to the cultural values of all families
• Advocate for staff to meet the language needs of kinship and resource families in the region/program
• Inquire about the kinship and resource families’ understanding of the case in consultation
• Build and sustain relationships with kinship and resource families to encourage their support of children’s/youth’s cultural connections
• Make sure that we have enough cultural liaisons
• Model cultural sharing activities in staff meetings and the office environment
• Understand support network use considering cultural norms
• Highlight times when workers have strategies to communicate across differences
• Know and acknowledge your own culture and biases
• Create an atmosphere where workers feel okay asking for help, and have courageous conversations with staff
• Inquire about the kinship and resource families’ understanding of the case in consultation
• Build and sustain relationships with kinship and resource families to encourage their support of children’s/youth’s cultural connections
• Make sure that we have enough cultural liaisons
• Model cultural sharing activities in staff meetings and the office environment
• Understand support network use considering cultural norms
• Highlight times when workers have strategies to communicate across differences
• Know and acknowledge your own culture and biases
• Create an atmosphere where workers feel okay asking for help, and have courageous conversations with staff